Panelized Building System Utilizing Integrated Insulation

ABSTRACT

A panelized building system utilizing structural framing combined with integrated insulation is disclosed. The system may include a roof system, at least one wall panel, a floor panel, at least one corner post and at least one foundational component. The roof system, the wall panel, the floor panel, the corner post and the foundational component are configured to mechanically lock to each to form a panelized building structure consisting of structural framing and composite foam insulation. The roof system, the floor panel, the corner post, and the foundational component of the panelized building system may be configured to mechanically lock to each other through a tongue-and-groove interlocking system.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Technical Field of the Disclosure

The present embodiment relates generally to prefabricated/modularbuilding systems, and more particularly, to a panelized building systemhaving a plurality of building section utilizing structural panels withintegrated insulation.

Description of the Related Art

A panelized building system is a form of construction in which allcomponents of a building are prefabricated at a climate-controlledfactory, and then shipped to a building site for construction. Panelizedbuilding is a form of “prefabricated” or “modular” building. In mostinstances of panelized buildings, the weather-tight shell can beassembled in a matter of days. Penalization is commonly used in mostbuildings for roof, wall and floor panels. Choosing a panelized buildingsystem allows for completely customized building design that can fitvirtually any need. However, these panelized building systems face anumber of challenges.

One of these challenges is market acceptance. Some home buyers and somelending institutions resist consideration of modular homes as equivalentin value to site-built homes. While the homes themselves may be ofequivalent quality, entrenched zoning regulations and psychologicalmarketplace factors may create hurdles for buyers or builders of modularhomes and should be considered as part of the decision-making processwhen exploring this type of home as a living and/or investment option.Panelized homes have become accepted in some regional areas; however,they are not commonly built in major cities. Panelized homes arebecoming increasingly common in Japanese urban areas, due toimprovements in design and quality, speed and compactness of onsiteassembly, as well as due to lowering costs and ease of repair afterearthquakes. Recent innovations allow modular buildings to beindistinguishable from site-built structures. Surveys have shown thatindividuals can rarely tell the difference between a modular home and asite-built home.

Wood is likely still the most common structural building material.However, recently more and more building owners, designers, architects,and general contractors have opted for metal in construction projectsover other materials for its energy efficiency, low maintenance, anddurability. Increasingly, however, metal's other key attributes like itsstriking beauty, clean look, and versatility in both new and retrofitconstruction are increasing the popularity of metal as a material ofchoice for many building projects.

Metal holds a number of advantages over other building materials inaddressing day-to-day concerns. For example, metal walls help save oncost, or can be custom-engineered to quickly comply with on coderequirements. Further, metal products are flexible which makes itsuitable for designing tight or complex spaces. An array of metal typesare available, both coated and uncoated which provide endless buildingdesign options. Moreover, metal structures are tougher and so requirefewer repairs when compared to other conventional building materials.There is less wear and tear, which increases the longevity of thebuildings. The components of a metal building are created inside afactory giving a much higher quality level. Each piece is checked priorto shipping; thus, the overall quality of the building is generallysuperior to buildings made of other materials. Since they are created infactories and shipped to the assembly site, metal building goes togetherin a fraction of the time compared to that required for otherstructures. Also, bad weather has far less effects on metalconstruction, as the majority of the work is done indoors, prior toassembly. Another significant advantage of metal structures is that theycan be recycled. Once metal buildings have outlived their purpose, theycan be recycled. Even though there are numerous benefits, building withmetal does face some drawbacks.

One drawback of utilizing metallic panelized building systems isproviding proper insulation. Unlike wood, which is classified as aninsulative material, most metals are certainly heat conductors.

Condensation is a major concern in metal and steel buildings. Insulationserves to protect a metal building from condensation, which can causedamage over time. Insulation creates a vapor barrier to reduce theamount of condensation taking place directly on the steel panels.Another issue with a steel or metal building is humidity. A concretefoundation that is not fully cured can be a contributing factor toincreased humidity and condensation. Steel or metal buildings located incolder climates can experience condensation from exposure to ice andfrost. A regular pattern of freezing and thawing can cause frost tomelt, drip water and produce condensation. Insulation placed around thered iron before metal sheeting is installed creates a “thermal break”between outside sheeting and internal framing to prevent condensation.

Protection from mold is another major challenge facing metal building.Insulation that is not properly installed may trap mold within the wallsof a metal building. Improper maintenance is another common cause ofmold in steel buildings. Animals and birds may damage insulation inmetal buildings as they try to create a home. It is not always possibleto prevent every possible cause of mold. The best defense is to be awareof what is going on inside the walls of a building. This is accomplishedwith regular inspections using special equipment to detect possibleinsulation issues. Once an issue is inspected, the area in questionneeds to be opened to correct the issue. This may include replacinginsulation that is damaged.

One of the existing insulation provides loose fill insulation. This typeof insulation consists of loose fibers or fiber pellets. These fibersare blown into building cavities with special equipment. Loose-fillinsulation can be more expensive, but does fill corners better andreduces air leakage. Additionally, this type of insulation provides abetter sound barrier. Cellulose fiber is made from recycled newspapersthat have been chemically treated to be flame retardant and resistant tomoisture. This is a good option when looking to take advantage of greenconstruction perks. Loose fill insulation is generally used in walls,attics and floors where it is applied through a moist-spray technique ora dry-pack process. Rock wool or fiberglass provides fuller coveragethat is better for steel or metal buildings where it is applied using aBlow-in-Blanket system that blows the insulation into open studcavities.

Another existing insulation provides mineral fiber consisting of rockwool or processed fiberglass. This insulation is usually the mostinexpensive of the insulation available for use in walls. However, ithas to be installed carefully to be effective. This type of insulationis generally used in floors, ceilings and walls. This insulation worksbest for stud spacing of 16-24 inches or a standard joist. Some otherforms of insulation include a radiant barrier backing. However, this isespecially effective in steel or metal buildings due to the lack ofnatural insulation.

Certain existing insulation provides a rigid board insulation usuallymade from polyurethane, fiberglass or polystyrene. It can be cut to thedesired thickness and is best for reproofing on flat roofs. It is alsogood for use on basement walls or as perimeter insulation in cathedralceilings. It can also be used on concrete slab edges. However, thisinsulation needs to be covered with ½-inch gypsum board or otherflame-retardant materials when applied to interior spaces. Moreover,weather-proof facing is required for exterior applications. Localmunicipalities may require additional covering.

Fiberglass is often used to insulate in steel and metal buildings. Blackor white vinyl fencing laminated on one side is usually a feature of theinsulation to prevent moisture. White facing is sometimes used tocounter the impact of ambient light by reflecting it away from thesurface of the building.

Another existing insulation provides a spray foam insulation which is aliquid having a foaming agent and a polymer such as polyurethane. Theliquid mixture is sprayed into walls, floors and ceilings. Spray foaminsulation expands as it is applied and turns into a solid cellularplastic consisting of air-filled cells. This type of insulation is goodfor steel and metal buildings because it fills every space, no matterhow small. This type of insulation is ideal for usually shaped designsor getting around obstructions. Spray foam insulation is more expensivethan batt insulation, but provides a better air barrier. This is a majorplus for metal and steel buildings. Additionally, spray foam insulationdoes not require caulking and other additional barriers since it isalready airtight. However despite the above mentioned insulations, therestill exists a substantial unmet need for techniques to efficiently andeffectively provide insulation with regard to panelized metal buildings.

Therefore there is a need for a panelized metal building system havingan integrated insulation which can efficiently and effectively provideinsulation. Such a panelized metal building system would increasestructural integrity and reduce or eliminate costly and cumbersomeonsite labor. This system would provide protection from mold, protectionfrom condensation, and increase market acceptance. This system would notcause any weather damage during construction as the building isprefabricated in an indoor climate controlled facility and would beprecision engineered to highest quality. Such a system would beenvironmental friendly and would be adaptable to service at remotelocations. This system would be stronger than traditional buildings andare often easier to add on to. The present embodiment overcomes theexisting shortcomings in this area by accomplishing these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

To minimize the limitations found in the prior art, and to minimizeother limitations that will be apparent upon the reading of thespecification, the preferred embodiment of the present inventionprovides a panelized building system having a plurality of buildingsections having structural panels with integrated insulation.

The panelized building system of the present invention comprises atleast one structural roof panel with integrated insulation and a loadbearing structure, at least one structural wall panel with integratedinsulation, at least one structural floor panel with integratedinsulation, at least one structural corner post, a structuralfoundational component and a plurality of alignment components. The roofpanel, the wall panel, the floor panel, the corner post, and thefoundational component are configured to mechanically lock with eachother to form a panelized building. The mechanical interlocking systemof the present invention eliminates or at least reduces the typical needfor connective elements such as nails, screws, bolts etc. The mechanicalinterlocking system of the present invention also substantially reducesthe amount of labor necessary to put together the panelized metalbuilding. Optionally, the mechanical interlocking system may comprise atongue-and-groove mechanical interlocking system. In this optionalembodiment, one component includes a female groove along its edge and asecond component includes a male tongue component configured to insertinto the female groove and mechanically lock. The interlocking systemprovides restrain to prevent two connecting components from shifting.This embodiment may further include a foldable roof panel with an offsethinge system. A spandrel floor panel with an interlocking metal spandrelbeam may also be included, the beam being capable of mechanicallyinterlocking with one of the wall panels in the manner described above.A number of different kinds of metal could be used with the presentinvention. Steel is most likely to be used due to its strength anddurability. Importantly, the present invention may optionally functionusing recycled metals, to create an environmental friendly buildingsystem.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises an integratedcomposite insulation and non-composite insulation. The integratedcomposite insulation building panel comprises a structural framingattached to a layer of reinforcing element. The layer of reinforcingelement is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to:expanded metal, perforated metal, welded wire mesh, woven wire mesh,carbon fiber, glass fiber and other suitable material. The layer ofreinforcing element is infused with a foam insulation to form acomposite solid piece, i.e. the composite foam insulated structuralpanel. The foam insulation can be polyurethane or other suitablematerials common in the art. The composite foam insulation contributesto the strength, load bearing quality and structural integrity of thepanel in addition to providing insulation. The composite foam insulationalso reduces or eliminates the labor needed to add insulation to thebuilding onsite. In the present invention, the insulation is installedinto the panels prior to field construction rather than having to beadded afterwards at a job site. This enhances one of the key advantagesof panelized/prefabricated building and avoids costly and cumbersomeonsite labor. The insulated modular building panel may optionally befurther encapsulated with spray-on composite foam insulation therebyproviding even greater insulation. A reflective thermal insulationcovering at least one side of the panel may be optionally utilized.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a building panelfor use in a panelized building system. The building panel includes anexterior layer element. The exterior layer element may comprise anymaterial suitable for a building façade. Examples include, withoutlimitation, wherein the exterior layer may include element selected fromthe group comprising a solar panel, plywood, sheet metal, glass,plastic, vinyl, and felt paper. This embodiment may further include astructural frame element having an exterior side, a lateral side, and aninterior side. Composite insulation encapsulates the exterior side ofthe structural frame element, fills a space between the metal frameelement and the exterior layer, and bonds to the exterior layer element.In this present disclosed invention, this type of insulation asdisclosed in this embodiment is referred as integrated compositeinsulation.

Optionally, this embodiment may include a perforated reinforcing elementattached to the exterior side of the structural frame element such thatthe perforated reinforcing element is parallel to the exterior layerelement, the perforated reinforcing element is encapsulated by foaminsulation that is installed between the exterior side of the structuralframe and the exterior layer. The insulation with reinforcing element isreferred as integrated reinforced composite insulation in the presentinvention.

It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a panelizedstructural building system having an integrated insulation which canefficiently and effectively provide insulation.

A second objective of the present invention is to provide a panelizedstructural building system that increases structural integrity andreduces or eliminates cost and cumbersome onsite labor.

A third objective of the present invention is to provide a system thatprovides protection from mold, insect damage, condensation and increasedmarket acceptance.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a systemminimizes any weather damage during construction.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to create a structuralbuilding system that integrates the strength of structural framingelements and encapsulated insulation to increase the overall strengthand integrity of the building.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a systemthat is environmental friendly and adaptable to service at remotelocations.

These and other advantages and features of the present invention aredescribed with specificity so as to make the present inventionunderstandable to one of ordinary skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Elements in the figures have not necessarily been shown to scale inorder to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of thesevarious elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elementsthat are known to be common and well understood to those in the industryare not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the variousembodiments of the invention, thus the figures are generalized in formin the interest of clarity and conciseness.

The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment of the present invention will be bestunderstood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures,wherein like designations denote like elements throughout the figures,and wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a cut away view of a wall panel in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates a cut away view of a roof panel in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows a cut away view of a floor panel, illustrating a spandrelof the floor panel in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2B illustrates a detailed cut away view of the spandrel of thefloor panel shown in FIG. 2A in accordance with the preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2C illustrates a sectional view of the spandrel shown in FIG. 2A inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates a sectional view of the wall panel shown in FIG. 1Ain accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B illustrates a sectional view of the floor panel shown in FIG. 2Ain accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3C illustrates a sectional view of the roof panel shown in FIG. 1Bin accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3D and 3E illustrate a detailed view of a tongue and groove of thewall panel shown in FIG. 1A in accordance with the preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3F illustrates a sectional view of a corner post in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a wall assembly showing the wall panel beingassembled with the corner post in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a ground floor assembly showing the wall panel beingassembled with the ground floor panel in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates another configuration of the floor assembly inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a roof to floor assembly showing the roof panel beingassembled with the floor panel in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8A illustrates the roof panel in a folded state in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8B illustrates the roof panel in an unfolded state in accordancewith the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments andapplications of the present invention, reference is made to theaccompanying figures that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand changes may be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.However, any single inventive feature may not address any of theproblems discussed above or only address one of the problems discussedabove. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not befully addressed by any of the features described below.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. “And” as usedherein is interchangeably used with “or” unless expressly statedotherwise. As used herein, the term ‘about” means+/−5% of the recitedparameter. All embodiments of any aspect of the invention can be used incombination, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words ‘comprise’, ‘comprising’, and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to”. Words using the singular or pluralnumber also include the plural and singular number, respectively.Additionally, the words “herein,” “wherein”, “whereas”, “above,” and“below” and words of similar import, when used in this application,shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particularportions of the application.

The description of embodiments of the disclosure is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed.While the specific embodiments of, and examples for, the disclosure aredescribed herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalentmodifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as thoseskilled in the relevant art will recognize.

FIG. 1A illustrates a wall panel 100 employed in the panelized buildingsystem. The wall panel 100 adaptable for use in the panelized buildingsystem comprises a wall exterior layer 102, a first wall insulation 104,a wall insulation reinforcement 106, and a second wall insulation 108impregnated in a rigid framing 110. The outermost layer of the wallpanel 100 is the wall exterior layer 102. Below the wall exterior layer102, resides the first wall insulation 104. Beneath the first wallinsulation 104 resides the wall insulation reinforcement 106 and thesecond wall insulation 108. The wall insulation reinforcement 106 isencapsulated with the first wall insulation 104 and the second wallinsulation 108. The rigid framing 110 includes a vertical male stud 112,a vertical female stud 114, a plurality of C-studs 118 positionedbetween the vertical male stud 112 and the vertical female stud 114, atop horizontal female track 116 and a bottom horizontal female track136.

Referring to FIG. 1B, a roof panel 120 of the panelized building systemis illustrated. The roof panel 120 includes a roof exterior layer 122, afirst roof insulation 124, a roof insulation reinforcement 126 and asecond roof insulation 128. The roof exterior layer 122 is the outermostlayer of the roof panel 120. The first roof insulation 124 is beneaththe roof exterior layer 122. Below the first roof insulation 124 is theroof insulation reinforcement 126 and the second roof insulation 128.The roof panel 120 further includes a plurality of purlins 130, aplurality of rafters 132 and a plurality of hinge plates 134.

Referring to FIG. 2A, a floor panel 138 of the panelized building systemis illustrated. The floor panel includes a floor exterior layer 140, afloor insulation 142, a plurality of floor joists 144 and a spandrel146. FIG. 2B shows a detailed cut away view of the spandrel 146. Thespandrel 146 includes a first male floor track 150, a second male floortrack 152 holding the plurality of floor joists 144 by means of aplurality of stiffeners 148. FIG. 2C illustrates a sectional view of thespandrel 146. The spandrel 146 further includes a first fill plate 156connected to the first male floor track 150 and a second fill plate 158connected to the second male floor track 152 to fix at least one of theplurality of floor joists 144 with the spandrel 146.

FIGS. 3A-3C show the sectional views of the wall panel 100, the floorpanel 138 and the roof panel 120. FIGS. 3D and 3E illustrate a detailedview of a tongue 162 and a groove 160 of the wall panel 100 shown inFIG. 1A.

FIG. 3F illustrates a sectional view of a corner post 164 in accordancewith the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The corner post164 is adaptable for connecting wall panels 100 at the corners of thepanelized building system. The corner post 164 includes a cornerexterior layer 166, a corner insulation 168, a corner tongue 170 and acorner groove 172 attached to the corner insulation 168 by means of apair of connectors 174, 176. The corner tongue 170 and the corner groove172 enables to attach the wall panel 100 with the corner post 164. Thecorner tongue 170 attaches with the vertical female stud 114 of the wallpanel 100 and the corner groove 172 attaches with the vertical male stud112 of the wall panel 100. FIG. 4 illustrates a wall assembly showingthe wall panel 100 to be assembled with the corner post 164 and to thespandrel 146 of the floor panel 138.

FIG. 5 illustrates a ground floor assembly showing the wall panel 100being assembled with the ground floor panel 138. As shown in FIG. 16,the ground floor assembly is designed to firmly assemble the wall panel100 with or without the window 178 with a base 180.

FIG. 6 illustrates another configuration of the floor assembly showingtwo wall panels 100, 182 being assembled with the floor panel 138. Inthis configuration, the bottom horizontal female track 136 of one wallpanel 100 is positioned on the first male floor track 150 on thespandrel 146 of the floor panel 138 and the top horizontal female track116 of another wall panel 182 is attached to the second male floor track152 on the spandrel 146 of the floor panel 138.

FIG. 7 illustrates a roof to floor assembly showing roof panels attachedto floor panels. In this configuration, for example, at least two roofpanels 120, 184 are assembled with the floor panel 138. The at least tworoof panels 120, 184 are attached together by means of the plurality ofhinge plates 134 and held in position by means of a plurality ofspreader beams 186 and a plurality of connector plates 190. The at leasttwo roof panels 120, 184 are attached to the floor panel 138 by means ofa plurality of support posts 188.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the roof panel assembly in a folded state andan unfolded state respectively. In the folded state, the plurality ofconnector plate 190 and the plurality of spreader beams 186 are coupledtogether. In the unfolded state, the plurality of connector plate 190and the plurality of spreader beams 186 are detached from each otherutilizing the plurality of hinge plates 134.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has been presented for the purpose of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intendedthat the scope of the present invention not be limited by this detaileddescription, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claimsappended hereto.

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 20. A wall panel comprising: a. a structural framing mechanically adhered to a perforated reinforcing layer; b. a single monolithic layer of foam insulation having a cavity portion and a continuous portion, the cavity portion of the single monolithic layer of foam insulation is partially embedded in the structural framing thereby leaving an open cavity within the panel for the installation of utility elements and panel to panel attachments; c. the continuous portion of the single monolithic layer of foam insulation encapsulates the reinforcing layer; d. an exterior layer of building material is adhered to the continuous portion of the single monolithic layer of foam insulation; e. wherein the single monolithic layer of foam insulation that encapsulates the perforated reinforcing layer and the structural framing act together as a single structural unit to resist an applied load.
 21. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the perforated reinforcing layer is selected from the group consisting of expanded metal and wire mesh.
 22. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the exterior layer of building material is selected from the group consisting of membrane, felt, or plywood.
 23. A panelized building system including the wall panel of claim 1, wherein: a. the structural framing has a plurality of C-studs positioned between a male vertical stud and a female vertical stud; b. the system includes a structural corner post, the structural corner post comprising: i. a corner tongue that attaches to the female vertical stud; ii. a corner groove that attaches to the male vertical stud;
 24. The panelized building system of claim 23, wherein the corner tongue mechanically interlocks with the female vertical stud when interested into a groove on an exterior face of the female vertical stud and the corner groove mechanically interlocks with the male vertical stud when the male vertical stud is inserted into the corner groove to prevent the wall panel from shifting once connected to a corner post.
 25. A panelized building system comprising a wall panel, at least one structural corner post, and at least one structural floor panel, wherein: a. the wall panel includes: i. a vertical male stud having a tongue that extends from a center portion of an exterior surface of the vertical male stud; ii. a vertical female stud having a groove cut into a center portion of an exterior surface of the vertical female stud; iii. a plurality of C-studs positioned between a male vertical stud and a female vertical stud, the C-studs embedded in a first insulation layer; and iv. two horizontal female tracks framing the vertical male and female studs and the C-studs with a top horizontal female track as a top surface of the structural framing and a bottom horizontal female track as a bottom surface of the structural framing, the top and bottom horizontal female tracks each having a groove cut into a center portion of the track; and b. the at least one structural corner post comprising: i. a corner exterior layer that forms the external corners of the panelized building system; ii. a corner tongue for inserting the groove cut into the vertical female stud; and iii. a corner groove for receiving the tongue extending from the vertical male stud, the corner groove and the corner tongue are joined to each other and the corner exterior layer by a pair of connectors; c. the at least one structural floor panel comprises: i. plurality of floor joists extending between two spandrels, the floor joints embedded in a floor insulation bonded to a floor exterior layer; ii. a first male floor track forming a top surface of a spandrel, the first male floor track having a tongue extending out from a center portion of the first floor track, the tongue on the first male floor track for inserting into a horizontal female track of a wall panel structural framing attached above the structural floor panel; and iii. a second male floor track forming a bottom surface of a spandrel, the second male floor track having a tongue extending out from a center portion of the second male floor track, the tongue on the second male floor track for inserting into a horizontal female track of a wall panel structural framing attached below the structural floor panel. 